


Working for Love

by floralklance (sylvenon), orphan_account



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Assassins & Hitmen, Bonding, Courtship, Cussing, Established Keith/Lance, Established Shiro/Allura, Eventual Smut, F/F, F/M, Female Pronouns for Pidge | Katie Holt, Gifts, M/M, Mating Rituals, Original Character(s), Original alien, POV Third Person, Slow Burn, Switches to POV Third Person limited
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-05
Updated: 2018-04-06
Packaged: 2018-10-14 12:03:05
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,482
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10536075
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sylvenon/pseuds/floralklance, https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Særa's have mates, one mate, for the entirety of their life. They will risk everything to keep that mate safe and happy.Esti kal Mellian is a high ranking Særa, a princess and is also a hitman for Prince Lotor. She is sent to slaughter the Paladins of Voltron. He said nothing about how beautiful their Green Paladin is.





	1. One

**Author's Note:**

> Ahhhhhh, I've had this story idea floating around for ever and finally decided to write it down. I hope it goes well! Thank's for reading! The Paladins are aged up, Pidge is about 19, Hunk/Lance/Keith about 22 and Shiro is 24(given he's around 19-20 in the series)

The silence was disturbing. It was as if the universe was holding it's breath. The Paladins had gotten a distress signal of the planet, but when they landed, it was desolate. "Keith, can you-" The tallest was cut off, by the swift movement of whatever was there to kill them. The universe let the breath it was holding, go. The figure moved lightning quick, jumping over the Yellow Paladin, landing and sweeping his legs out from under him. It dodged the rain of laser blasts from the Blue Paladin. 

"Pidge!" The figure was approaching quick, the Paladin prepared, her bayard striking fast, but missing, as the assassian jumped over her. When it landed, it swept around, gripping the small human at the throat, lifting her up. It's other hand rose, tearing her helmet off. It froze, the other two arms, with knives in it's palms, barely touching her sides. It cocked it's head, before sliding the knives away, to readjust how it held the human. The others moved closer, slowly. One of it's hand's reached towards it's own face, pulling it's mask free. 

"Holy shit." Pidge mumbled. Long, curly blue hair, framing an angular light green face, with glowing blue markings. Four eyes stared at the human, blinking with confusion. It's mouth opened, giving Pidge a full view of razor sharp teeth, in two rows, with a curled tongue, settled against the back of it's throat. 

"Lotor said nothing of how beautiful you are." One of it's hands rose, the one with it's mask, gently brushed it's fingers against Pidge's cheek. Pidge narrowed her eyes. 

"What?" The alien smiled. 

"You are gorgeous. I did not think that I would fall for a, what did he call you? Ah! A human." She spoke. The arm with Pidge's helmet rose to the alien's chest. "I am Esti. I would perfer if you called me such. May I have your perfered moniker?" Pidge stared at Esti. 

"Pidge." Esti nodded. 

"Pidge." It rolled out of Esti's mouth with ease. "I like it." 

"Thanks. Uh…can you put me down?" Pidge asked, staring up at the alien. Esti blinked then nodded. She set Pidge down and handed Pidge her helmet. Pidge took it and slid it on her head. "So uh…are you going to try to kill us again?" Pidge asked. Esti shook her head. 

"No. I would never intentionally harm my Mate's friends." Esti said, smiling down at her. Pidge nodded, turned and walked away. After a moment, Esti was beside her, towering over the short human, a good three feet taller. As she walked, their curls bounced, showing a plethora of scales, crawling down her back. 

"Um. Esti, what are you doing?" Pidge stopped and Esti followed, turning around. Her eyes blinked, head tilting. 

"Coming with you." It wasn't a question, the tone confused, as though it was obvious. Pidge sighed. 

"I appreciate that you aren't going to kill us anymore, but you can't come with me. You are still considered an enemy." Esti pursed her lips, ears twitching. 

"I see." She brought one of her hands to her mouth and stared down at Pidge. The sound of an ion cannon charger drew their eyes up. Esti growled, teeth growing. She gripped Pidge and threw the human, towards her lion, the machine catching Pidge in it's mouth. Esti raced towards the Galra ship, leg muscles tensing, before she jumped, easily reaching the ship. Her four arms worked together, dual sword put to use to cut through wires needed to properly function. The cannon died down, the built up energy being forced back into the ship. Esti jumped off, the ship exploding behind her. She landed rough, the ground caving in where her body hit the planets surface. She stared up at the sky, ears flicking. Then she focused on the Green Lion, where Pidge stood in the open mouth. 

"Holy shit." 

* * *

Esti lifted her arm, gently touching the machine. She took it as a good sign that it didn't lift it's barrier, when she approached it. Pidge had told her to wait in the hangar, while she spoke to the princess. Esti was fine with that. She wanted to know what made her Mate smile, what her Mate loved. And by what Esti could see, her Mate loved machines and learning, judging by the multitude of books stacked beside the impressive machine. The door slid open, Pidge walking through with the Altean behind her. "Esti, this is Allura. She said you could stay." Esti smiled at the princess. 

"Thank you. Pidge, would you show me around?" Esti asked, approaching the human. She nodded and turned, hands wringing together. Esti would have to do research on these humans. She followed her Mate through the ship, nodded and mentally jotted down facts on it. She met the rest in what seemed to be a recreational room, the scent of comfort and relaxation oozing from it. 

"This is Shiro. He's our leader. Um, Hunk is our engineer, Keith is the guy that does stupid things and Lance is his boyfriend." 

"I'm the cool one." The one Pidge called Lance, the taller male, with a scar running down his cheek said, glaring at Pidge. If Pidge hadn't smiled at him, Esti would have taken the glare as a threat. She definitely needs to do research. 

"What is a boyfriend?" Esti asked, confused by the term. Everybody suddenly seemed to grow uncomfortable. 

"Um. It's like a…significant other?" Pidge said, looking up at Esti, eyes straining to have her agree. Esti nodded. 

"So you are Keith's Mate." Esti said, two of her arms folding, one resting on her hip and the other pointing at Lance. Lance rose an eyebrow. "That is what we call our significant others. I did not know that even a primitive species such as your own had such concepts." Esti spoke, bluntly and thoughtful. 

"Ouch." Lance mumbled. Esti was suddenly on alert, hands gripping him, to hold him still as she looked for an injury. 

"Ah, Esti?" Pidge asked, small hand looking out of place on Esti's black clothed arms. Esti's gaze switched to look at Pidge. 

"Lance expressed pain and since he is a familiar of yours, it is my duty to protect him. I am simply looking for what caused him discomfort." Esti explained. 

"Oh. I'll tell you." Pidge said, as she gently pulled Esti's hands off Lance, the much stronger alien following. "Esti, you are really blunt. Humans are used to things like that being sugar-coated. You caused him discomfort." Esti took it in, nodding. "Lance said 'ouch' as a way to tell you, maybe lower the whole, 'humans are animals compared to aliens'." Esti looked enlightened, all four eyes widening with understanding. 

"I see. Humans are such oddities. Such expressions and communication patterns do not exist in my culture. Though it is common for the Galra to use them." Esti said, turning to Lance. "I apologize for any discomfort I have caused you." Lance shook his head. 

"A pretty girl can always feel me up." The comment earned him a slap on the head from Keith. Esti's eyes widened. It shocked her that a Mate could physically harm their other half. She rose one of her hands up, to her chin to rest it, in a thinking position. 

"Humans are truly odd." 

"Tell me about it." Pidge mumbled. "Come on, I wanna show you to the bridge."


	2. two

Esti stretched her arms up and over her head, feeling the muscles in her shoulders pinch. She sighed and stood from the bed they had given her for the night. She heard the Paladins moving about and smiled slightly. She fixed her hair, like Pidge had, up into a ponytail, with a hair tie that Pidge had gifted her the night before. She left the room, heading for the mess hall.  
  
She entered the mess hall and paused in the doorway. The Paladins mused around, familiar not only with their surroundings but also each other. Esti felt a tinge of guilt on intruding upon such comfort. She moved into the room, carefully avoiding the large Paladin, _Hunk_ , she reminded herself, who wandered with his eyes closed. She picks up a plate and grabs the goo gun to feed herself.

A hand grabs one of her secondary-limbs and she looks down. Pidge stood beside her, still half asleep by the looks of it. Messy hair, half-lidded eyes, the absence of glasses. “Hunk is making food, put the gun down.” Esti let the goo gun go and followed Pidge to the table. She sits down just as Allura walks in.

“Good morning Paladins. Esti.” She smiles brightly at Esti and Esti returns in, a closed lip smile. She noticed the others got nervous when she smiled with her mouth open.

“Fair greetings to you as well, Princess.” Esti says, giving the traditional Særn morning greeting. Allura nods and Esti shifts to look around the mess hall. Keith and Lance sat next to each other, hands intertwined and legs on each other’s chairs. They leaned on the table, seemingly asleep. Esti smiled, it was a pleasure to see Mates so intimate. Pidge leaned against Esti and she looked down.

The small human was tucked against Esti, soft breaths blowing against Esti’s seafoam colored skin, the warm oxygen tickling her sensitive scales on the back of her arms. Esti stayed very still, despite a plate of appetizing food being set in front of her.

Pidge stirred from her sleep and sat up, staring blankly at the other wall. Esti picked up a spork and started to shovel food into her mouth. Once it was full she closed her mouth and began to chew, first-teeth grinding the tough parts, second-teeth ripping the tender parts. She swallowed, her tongue dancing from the flavor.

“Hunk? What did you use in this?” Esti asks, curious about the flavor. The man pauses in eating and sits back, thinking.

“Well, purple space bacon, some weird neon green fruit for the sauce, ginger, and blue with red spot berries.” He says, nodding as he lists the ingredients off. Esti nods and looks down at the plate.

“What’s wrong?” Pidge asks. Esti looks over at her and shakes her head.

“Nothing. The flavor caught me off guard, it tastes like a traditional Særn dish. I suppose that would be the Thïon berries.” Esti explains, poking the round berries. Pidge nods.

“They don’t taste like anything to us. Hunk likes to add them as a palate cleanser.” Lance says. Esti furrows her brows.

“Really? Odd, Thïon berries have a chemical in them that reacts to the saliva of those who eat it, making it taste like something they love. It’s often used in dishes made for Mates. Or for the pleasure seekers of the universe, they gorge on them and get a sort of chemical imbalance-“

“They get high off of them?” Pidge interjects. Esti pauses and her ears flick up. “When you have a chemical imbalance, dopamine is released, giving you a happy feeling. We call it ‘getting high’ off of something.” Pidge explains.

“Then yes, they get high off of them.” Esti nods.

“So,” Keith pauses, testing his words, “what does it mean that we can’t taste them?” Esti puts her spork down and leans back.

“Either,” her secondary-limbs come up, symbolizing a scale, “you don’t have the ability to recognize the berries flavor or you can override the chemicals and taste the actual berries.” She stops and thinks. “I’ve never met anybody who can override it, but it’s entirely possible.”

“Humans are full of surprises, Esti.” Pidge said, pushing her empty plate away and begins rubbing her stomach. Esti watched her before going back to eating. Humans are odd and she wanted to know everything about them.

* * *

Esti forced her head through the tight hole, her hair bouncing once she was freed from the darkness. Pidge laughed wildly, falling from her perch on the counter, Lance and Keith struggled to keep smiles off their faces and Shiro watched, clearly amused.

“You don’t even fit Hunk’s clothes!” Esti struggled to free her secondary-limbs from the tight confinement of the shirt. Once she got them out she fixed her hair and felt her face twist into a frown.

“I don’t understand why I had to ‘try this shirt’ on. It’s not mine and it is uncomfortable.” Esti says, eyeing her Mate, as the girl pulled herself back into the counter.

“It’s for fun, Esti!” Pidge exclaimed, face lighting up. Esti relaxes her face and sighs.

“Can I take it off now?”

“Yeah.” Esti pulled the shirt off her primary-limbs and struggled to pull it over her head. She hears a ripping sound and stops in her movement.

“Esti?” Lance asks, seeming to appear in front of her. “Do you need help?”

Esti takes a shaking breath in. “Yes. But the clothing is ripping and I would like to avoid that.” Lance makes an affirmative noise and gentle hands grip the cloth around her neck and tugged. Hard. The shirt comes free with a few of Esti’s hairs and she lets loose a screech of pain.

“Oh my god, I’m so sorry Esti!” Lance’s eyes are wide and his hands are shaking. Esti hisses to herself, rubbing the sore spots.

“It’s alright, Lance.” Esti forces a smile. Lance frowns and looks down at his hands, full of the yellow shirt and strands of blue. Esti approaches Lance and takes the strands of hair. She hums to herself, before leaving the Paladins in the recreational area.

She walks down the hall, following her mind-scape to her room, entering and setting to work. She uses her knife to cut the strands shorter and fumbles through the desk looking for something to hold them. An alarm goes off and Esti stares at the flashing red lights for a mere moment. She jumps from her seat and searches the ship quickly for her Mate.

She comes to the bridge and feels relief flood her being at the sight of her Mate safe and sound. Pidge was back in her Paladin armor, armed to the tooth. She turned and flashed a small smile at Esti.

“What is the alarm for, Princess?” Esti asks. Allura looks over before the ship rocks violently. Esti reaches for Pidge, gripping her arms tightly, keeping her still. Pidge leans into Esti and Esti wraps her secondary-limbs around her, absently noting how slim Pidge’s wait was. The ship stopped rocking and Esti loosened her grip.

“Galra ships.” Allura answers. Esti nods and stares at the vast universe laid out in front of her, littered with large battleships, deep purple, the ion cannons charging. She narrowed her eyes and bared her fangs.

“That’s a ‘let’s kick some Galra ass’ face, Esti.” Pidge says, face bright. Esti flicks her ears forward and purrs.

“Then let’s kick some Galra ass, Pidge.”


End file.
